The invention relates to a control element, particularly for a motor vehicle component, having an operating element which is mounted so as to move in a support element and which acts on a switching element, in particular.
To control motor vehicle components, such as in a radio appliance, in a navigation appliance, in a car telephone, in a multimedia installation and the like, control and display devices are frequently used which are arranged ergonomically in the vehicle. In this case, the display device should be arranged such that the driver can observe it with as little diversion from the road traffic as possible. The display unit is therefore preferably arranged in the region of the dashboard or in the upper region of a central console. The control unit is preferably arranged such that the driver can reach it with his fingers without a relatively great arm movement. However, this arrangement of the control unit has the drawback that the control unit can be observed visually only very poorly. The driver will therefore frequently feel his way to and select the control elements on the control unit without any visual contact. It is therefore desirable to detect the approach of the driver's hand to a control element, for example in order to be able to output advice of the type of control element or the function to be controlled thereby on the display device or else an audible acknowledgement before the control element has been operated and the action linked to it has been executed.